Brevity A Flash Fiction Handbook
Brevity: A Flash Fiction Handbook by David Galef, published by Columbia University Press in 2016, is a comprehensive exploration of the art of flash fiction. This 143-page book presents a variety of forms and styles, including vignettes, character sketches, letters, diary entries, and more, showcasing the versatility and depth of short-form writing. The text is written in English and serves as both a guide and a collection of readings that highlight the nuances of concise storytelling.
Readers will find a diverse range of examples from notable authors, illustrating techniques such as surrealism, genre, and viewpoint shifts. The book includes works from writers like Colette, Isaac Babel, and Alice Walker, among others, providing insights into the craft of writing and the significance of brevity in literature. With its focus on language arts and fiction writing, this handbook is designed to inspire both aspiring and experienced writers to refine their skills in creating impactful narratives within a limited space.
Official synopsis Publisher
Short introduction — Vignettes. Readings: Colette: Tthe other wife”; Isaac Babel: “An incident on the Nevsky Prospekt”–Character sketches. Readings: L.E. Leone: “The argument for a shotgun”; Josefina Estrada: “The extravagant behavior of the naked woman”–Letters. Readings: Yasunari Kawabata: “Canaries”; Phil Karasik: “Mickey the dog phones home” — Diary entries. Readings: Will Stanton: “Barney”; Mark Budman: “The diary of a salaryman” — Lists. Readings: Sei Shonagon: “Annoying things”; Steve Martin: “Disgruntled former lexicographer” — Fables. Readings: Anonymous: Untitled; Raphael Dagold: “The two rats and the BB gun” — Anecdotes. Reading: The peasant and the genie — Prose poems. Readings: Yusef Komunyakaa: “Nude interrogation”; Len Kuntz: “Story problems” — Soliloquies, rants, riffs, and themes. Readings: Christine Byl: “Hey, Jess McCafferty”; John Edgar Wideman: “Witness” — Perfect miniatures. Readings: John Collier: “The chaser”; Jeffrey Whitmore: “A bedtime story” — Intermission: cutting down. Bruce Taylor: “Exercise” — Surrealism. Readings: Richard Brautigan: “A need for gardens”; Donald Barthelme: “The baby” — What if? Readings: Wayland Hilton-Young: “The choice”; Dicky Murphy: “The magician’s umbrella” — Genre. Readings: Roxane Gay: “The mistress of baby breath”; Tara Orchard: “My love” — Setting. Readings: Bharati Mukherjee: “Courtly vision”; Alice Walker: “The flowers” — Twists. Readings: Luisa Valenzuela: “Vision out of the corner of one eye”; Saki: “The open window” — Viewpoints. Readings: Robert Schipits: “Dialogue between two teenagers, one interested in cars and one not”; Ryan Ridge: “Shaky hands & all” — Mass compression. Readings: Bruce Holland Rogers: “Dinosaur”; Susan O’Neill: “Memento mori” — Metafiction. Readings: Ptim Callan: “Story”; Jorge Luis Borges: “Borges and I” — Vanishing point. Readings: Merilee Faber: “We came around the corner”; Dean Clayton Edwards: “It was pretending”; Davian Aw: “She raised the glass”; Augusto Monterroso: “The dinosaur” — The future — Conclusion
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